Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing, 4 May 2022
Helping more Tasmanian families into safe and secure housing
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to providing a comprehensive range of housing and support services to help Tasmanians and Tasmanian families into safe and secure housing.
Tasmanians deserve this, which is why we are implementing the biggest social housing building program in the State’s history – 10,000 new social and affordable homes by 2032 to help Tasmanians in need.
While our economy and housing markets are strong, we also acknowledge that many Tasmanians are still doing it very tough and there is more work to do.
As the new Minister for Housing, I want to listen and understand the problems many vulnerable Tasmanians face and I have begun these conversations.
To foster this collaborative approach, I will soon be convening a Ministerial Reference Group, which will meet regularly to advise me of any gaps or challenges that exist and to work on collaborative solutions.
This collaboration will be vital as we move through establishing our new Housing Authority which is due to commence in October 2022. Wemust do this in partnership with the housing and not-for-profit sectors who know this space intimately.
While this is happening, we are getting on with our record investment in social and affordable housing. We have already built 337 homes in the past year, adding 28 social dwellings and supported accommodation on average every month.
There are 1169 long term homes under construction, with 110 spaces for homeless accommodation and our target of 1500 homes to be completed by June 2023.
But to build on this momentum we need more land. Today, a new Housing Supply Order tabled in Parliament will open up significant parcels of land in Warrane and Burnie for residential development, paving the way for up to 100 new homes.
These lots are in addition to new land unlocked through our ‘Headworks Holiday’, which has already created over 1038 new residential lots across the State. We have committed an additional $15 million to the Headworks Holiday to unlock even more land for Tasmanian homes.
At the same time, we’re actively identifying opportunities for infill development and urban renewal through the Hobart City Deal together with our City Deal partners, and we have also approved 183 ‘granny flats’ for long term rentals, under our Ancillary Dwellings Program.
For Tasmanians in immediate need, our three Safe Space services and outreach support are critical in providing this and we provide $30 million in annual funding to 17 Specialist Homelessness Services, including Housing Connect Front Door and Support as well as crisis shelters and supported accommodation.
The Tasmanians Liberal Government is delivering for all Tasmanians. We are spending over 300 per cent more on new housing than the previous Labor Government, our commitments are already resulting in real world delivery of housing to those in need, and support and accommodation for our most vulnerable Tasmanians.
Media release – David O’Byrne MP, Member for Franklin, 4 May 2022
New Premier’s tin ear for worsening housing crisis
The new Premier Jeremy Rockliff has today demonstrated his tin ear when it comes to worsening housing affordability in Tasmania, downplaying the severity of the problem which was described back in 2018 by Will Hodgman as a ‘crisis’.
“Today, the new Premier said the government is ‘aware of the challenges’ with housing affordability in Tasmania, before launching into a long-winded speech and outlining his commitment to continue the same set of failed policies,” said Member for Franklin David O’Byrne.
“How long is it going to take before this Government recognises that their current policies to address housing affordability and accessibility are not working?
“It’s almost as if the most recent Anglicare housing affordability snapshot, which highlighted the devastating reality of the housing crisis, is just more white noise to this government.
“Today we also had the new Housing Minister Guy Barnett tell the parliament he is now meeting with the very same people and organisations who would have attended Will Hodgman’s housing ‘crisis’ summit 4 years ago. It’s a merry-go-round of inaction.
“Continuing the same set of failed housing policies and expecting a different result is absurd. Meanwhile, the problem worsens and thousands of Tasmanians suffer.”
Mr O’Byrne described the policy as a sign the government had given up on the 4,400 people who are languishing on the wait list, including priority applicants who are now waiting an average of over 74 weeks.
Media release – David O’Byrne MP, Member for Franklin, 5 May 2022
New Premier backs predecessor’s ideological attack on social housing
Member for Franklin David O’Byrne has described the State Government’s plan to push the management of social housing to a statutory body as a ‘highly ideological’ abrogation of their responsibilities.
Mr O’Byrne urged the new Premier Jeremy Rockliff in Question Time today to abandon his predecessor’s contentious plan, which critics say will shift focus away from addressing the housing crisis at the worst possible time.
“The social housing system is beyond a crisis. Dissolving the Department of Communities and shifting the management of social housing to an arms-length statutory body is like shuffling the chairs on the Titanic,” said Mr O’Byrne.
“This ideological restructure will do nothing for the 4,405 people languishing on the social wait list, which includes almost a thousand young people under the age of 25 and over 1,500 people with a disability. 500 highest-priority applicants are trying to exit a homeless shelter or are leaving an institutional facility, but have nowhere safe to go.
“Although this government talks up their achievements, there is still less public and social housing properties in Tasmania today than there was in 1993.
“All this restructure will do is shift the responsibility and management of social housing outside government, so the Premier will have someone else to blame when the housing crisis continues to worsen. It’s worse than waiving the white flag, it’s literally running away from the problem.
“In response to my question today, the new Premier said that he will leave ‘no stone unturned’ when it comes to addressing the housing crisis, and yet he is willing to hand the responsibility and management of the sector to an arms-length body. It’s extraordinary hypocrisy.”
